outside, holding hands in circles. andinwashington, d.c.today, hundreds of people packing the white house lawn, holding up candles in a candlelight vigil. >> today's tragedy has people wondering it is time for tougher gun control. 3/4 of adults say laws should be stricter and 77% a ban on rifles. but is public sentiment strong enough to change the law? cbs 5 reporter grace lee. >> reporter: it was an emotional president obama who faced the nation today. it was also a rare moment, a turning point for federal gun control. >> we are going to have to take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics. >> it is an obvious and perfectly appropriate emotional response to say something has to be done. >> reporter: he believes the american people will also have a change in public sentiment a call for gun control but he doesn't believe it will last long enough to change law. >> the only time when most citizens worry is in the middle of a mass shooting episode. >> reporter: when a mass shooting occurs gun control is called for but after it dies down the oppo

if the nature of this crime and the age of the victims might create the debateinwashingtonthatcould push legislation along. >> it's possible, but many people thought that would happen after the shootings in aurora, colorado, this summer, after congresswoman gabrielle giffords was shot along with so many others. more than a year ago. but that didn't happen. in fact, congressional leaders today and the president were so reluctant to bring up this issue that their aides said today was not the day to discuss it. that infuriated gun control advocates, scott, who said if today isn't the day, what is? >> pelley: nancy, thanks very much. today's shooting in connecticut is painfully familiar to people today's shooting in connecticut is painfully familiar to people in little ton, colorado.,,,,,,,, >> >> pelley: one of the parents of a sand ree hook, elementary student said today that he always thought newtown, connecticut, was the safest place in america. folks in littleton, colorado, once thought the same about their town. until the shooting at columbine. 13 years later, barry petersen reports th

the white house for a vigil. many belong to a gun control group who happen to beinwashingtonfora training conference. they chanted, lit candles and pleaded for action. >> as we said there is still information coming out from authorities in connecticut. >> we are in new town where that press conference ended and authorities promising more information with in the hour. what have we learned? >> reporter: a couple of nuggets came out of this press conference that stood out. the lieutenant paul vance with the state police here in connecticut saying that they collected some very good evidence that could point to a motive in all of this but he wouldn't say what that evidence was specifically. again, saying it's good evidence that may fill in some blanks. he went onto talk about the shooter and that he was not voluntarily let inside of the school. in the words of the lieutenant he forced his way into the school so that is something that we know here now as well. of course we have heard some of the 911 calls in which a caller describes hearing gun shots as well as seeing glass sha

nation's capital buildinginwashington, d.c.the flag is at half-staff for the people killed in connecticut today all those children especially. we are about to hand it over to scott pelley for a special hour long edition of "cbs evening news." we're back at 6:30. more on today's tragedy in connecticut. the question people across the nation are asking tonight, as you watch television, you read the news, how do you begin to comprehend the unthinkable? thanks for watching us this half hour. a special hour-long "cbs evening news" is next. we'll leave you with images from a vigil held in the nation's capital. captions by: caption colorado comments@captioncolorado.com >> i don't understand how somebody could hurt innocent children. i just don't get that. what did those poor babies do to you? that's the hard part. >> there was 20 parents that were just told that their children are dead. >> it's a tragedy. it's a tragic scene. >> pelley: it is a tragedy for the nation. a gunman opened fire in a connecticut kindergarten. >> beautiful little kids between the ages of five and ten years

control advocacy groups were alreadyinwashingtonfora leadership training conference when the deadly shooting happened. >> the name of our god that is good and holy we pray. >> reporter: as news of the tragedy spread, dozens of people gathered outside the white house for an impromptu vigil to remember those lost today. they chanted, lit candles and asked for gun changes. >>> while the white house said today is not the day for that discussion, debra villalon live in san francisco with all those who say now is the time to have that talk. >> reporter: well this is 101 california, the high rise where almost 20 years ago a crazed gunman killed eight and wounded six. then as now there are calls for change. >> i don't think today is that day. >> reporter: when is the day to talk gun reform? mark kelly, married to congresswoman giffords said the discussion can no longer wait. and feinstein is calling on congress to debate america's gun culture. declaring weapons of war don't belong on our streets or in our theaters, shopping malls and schools. >> it was very similar to the day that i was sho